In mid-October the nation seemed transfixed by symptoms and almost entirely distracted from their source.

In the intervening weeks there has been distinguished original reporting of the Ebola crisis by the New York Times and National Public Radio. I have been less impressed with television news coverage. But this Sunday, Sixty Minutes, the CBS news program, has scheduled a special report on The Ebola Hot Zone (2 minute video preview). Check your local listings.

As reported last week, the transmission growth rate in West Africa has slowed for hardest-hit Liberia. It is increasing in Sierra Leone and Guinea. There has — apparently — been successful containment elsewhere. According to Friday’s special update by the World Health Organization the total numbers for Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea are 13,241 confirmed cases and 4950 deaths.

I have not seen a credible explanation for the recent divergence between Sierra Leona’s and Liberia’s transmission rates. Guinea’s so far less virulent outbreak is probably a matter of geography, population density, and transportation networks.

As noted below, progress is being made on several aspects of the Ebola response strategy.

But clearly there remains much to be done. The European Union has pledged over 1 billion Euros, but other than the Brits in Sierra Leone and the French in Guinea, actual engagement has been slow. On Thursday a Dutch ship departed Rotterdam loaded with ambulances, mobile hospitals, laboratories and other equipment. The cargo has been provided by nine EU Member States and UNICEF.

On Wednesday President Obama requested a special appropriation of $6.1 billion to address both domestic and international response to Ebola. The Senate Appropriations Committee will begin hearings on the request on November 12. The House Appropriations Committee is expected to follow suit before the end of the month.

Let’s use it to assure our borders are closed and more enforcement of those who come to America w/temporary Visa and remain as criminals in breaking the laws and agreement they signed and acknowledged when granted a temporary Visitor or student Visa and there is no follow up by our Immigration folks!

Now to further overburden our system, our local school systems which have caused much hardship on homeowner and property tax burden w/little transparency as to the spending of tax dollars in our failing educational system and We find this White House embracing new lawbreakers and overburdening our system already bankrupt by such spending sprees and incompetence as well as apathy towards our declining quality of Life here in America “babysitting” others kids while we work night and day to make ends meet….

I say No to $6.1 billion dollars and given the failed coalition building this eight year Chicago city street slicker has organized globally, let him reach to all those in Europe and other where he has made himself a fool and point to the Europeans and the UN to fund the bulk of any such intended action….

Use the $6.1 billion to assure each of us that our electric grid is Not susceptible to criminal and terrorist target! To the Republicans, begin to look at our home first for a change rather than to the far shores where the Chinese for example have embedded themselves in many countries and have a vested interest in protecting its citizens raping Africa of its commodities….

Use the $6.1 billion to assure us here on “Main Street USA” that We need assurance that in case of “dirty bomb” we are organized locally, statewide and federally to respond and address the chaos to follow!

Invite me before Congress and I (we) here on “Main Street USA” will suggest best where we should spend any such appropriations from our broken coffers….

– Fortifying domestic health care systems by supporting more than 50 Ebola Treatment Centers and equipment and training at hospitals across the United States
– Providing preparedness funding to state and local public health departments procuring personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Strategic National Stockpile.
– Increasing support for monitoring of travelers at U.S. airports
– Conducting advanced clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of investigational vaccines and therapeutics

The remainder would be targeted at the source of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, including measures to prevent and mitigate future outbreaks of infectious diseases other than Ebola.

To repurpose FDR, “Suppose my neighbor’s home catches fire, and I have a length of garden hose four or five hundred feet away. If he can take my garden hose and connect it up with his hydrant, I may help him to put out his fire.” In today’s world our houses are much closer connected, even semi-attached. We are not just being a good neighbor, we are being self-interested in suppressing the fire in our neighbors house.

To suppose any wall between us will keep the fire from us is inaccurate.

When facing a disease that kills up to 70% of those who are infected, and no accepted treatment yet exists, should patients be subjected to clinical trials in which they might receive a placebo? Carefully monitoring the outcomes of different experimental treatments might be a more ethical approach.

If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

However, $6.1 billion ? I say, accounting for such vast amount of monies must be transparent dollar for dollar! We are broke!